Muddying the Waters

It has become a widely used ploy in our society to muddy the waters over hot issues to prevent them from truly being discussed. Indeed, confusing the topic by changing the subject or stirring up fringe issues is often effective to squelch ideas or eliminate the debate....If you want to get the true debate off the table or avoid a subject directly, throw in a few tangents that will cause the spotlight to move elsewhere.

We see this in politics and government, where many seem incapable of just getting down to the facts, instead, confusing the important topics by throwing in irrelevant garbage or a lot of posturing. We see this in education, where layers of non-sense seem to permeate every facet, instead of just focusing on the issues that need it. We see this in religion, where a sure fire way to sidestep discussion is to throw in a few Bible verses to try to stamp out the discussion without any true communication or meaningful experience. We see this in families and relationships, where those who don't want to deal with issues create turmoil in other ways so that the tough subjects get avoided. If there are other distractions, no one has to face the deeper issues, making it easier to deny their existence.

We also do this in our individual lives. Rather than addressing our own issues or moving forward in our purpose or calling, we think of other things that suddenly need our attention..."I will do it after this dies down... I just can't do it now because of all of this other stuff..." It amounts to mere excuses. We all use them, we all lean on them. They are simply ways to change the subject from what we know we need to do by focusing on why we cannot do them. Others in our lives sometimes use the tactic on us when we try to move forward, applying fear, guilt, or other control tactics to muddy the waters, confuse us, or keep us off of our true goals or the issue at hand.

Once we begin to recognize the tactic rather than getting caught in its confusion, we are able to sidestep the distraction and stay focused. Think about your own life and surroundings...Are there common barriers that come up when you try to take charge and move ahead?...Are there resounding obstacles?...Are there others that tend to get in the way or discourage you, or situations that continue to crop up to prevent your progress? If so, those may be muddied waters, creating illusions to mask the reality, to prevent us from seeing clearly. Once you can see through them, they will no longer get in your way, or at least not as easily. Identifying them is the first step in moving on to a greater place that is more real, less illusion...a place of clarity that moves us beyond the murk and helps us identify our greater purpose.

Take the time to identify the ways in which your waters get muddied, either by you or by others. At first, they can be difficult to identify because we have become so accustomed to succumbing to them, but with time and practice, we become better at recognizing them for what they are. This process can lead you to a more direct path to your Higher Self, a place where clarity and peace will be yours.